It was not without reason that Hezekiah could speak with certainty of the outcome. The boastful Assyrian, while used by God for a season as the rod of His anger for the punishment of the nations, was not always to prevail. See Isaiah 10:5. "Be not afraid of the Assyrian," had been the message of the Lord through Isaiah some years before to 350 those that dwelt in Zion; "for yet a very little while, . . . and the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as His rod was upon the sea, so shall He lift it up after the manner of Egypt. And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing." Verses 24-27.

Ezekias havde god grund til at tale så overbevisende om slagets udfald. Det var rigtigt, at Gud i et vist tidsrum havde benyttet de hovmodige assyrere som sin harmes kæp for at straffe jordens nationer, men de skulle ikke blive ved at være uovervindelige. Nogle år tidligere havde Herren ladet Esajas overbringe Zions indbyggere følgende budskab: "Frygt ikke ..... for Assyrien ..... Thi end om en føje stund, ..... så svinger Hærskarers Herre svøben imod det, som da Midjan blev slået ved Orebs klippe; hans stok er udrakt imod havet, og han løfter den som fordum mod Ægypten. På hin dag tager ham byrden af din skulder og åget af din nakke, ja, åget brister for fedme." Es. 10,24-27